‘Protest of one’ across the UK
HUNDREDS of people staged “protest of one” road blocks yesterday to demonstrate against the UK Government’s lack of action on climate change.
The stunt, organised by pressure group Extinction Rebellion (XR), saw individuals sitting alone in busy roads wearing signs with messages about their fears for the future.
The protest began at 11am yesterday – two years exactly since Parliament declared a climate emergency.
Lynda Duffill, a 53-year-old mental health trainer and volunteer manager from north Pembrokeshire who sat in the road in Haverfordwest, said: “I fear for the next generation’s future. I work with young people and have two young adult children myself.
“They deserve a life free from the difficulties that climate breakdown could bring.”
Protests took place in towns and cities across the UK, including Swansea, Nottingham, Birmingham, Oxford, Bradford and Newcastle.
Morgan Trowland, 38, glued himself to London’s Tower Bridge, prompting City of London Police to close it to southbound traffic.
Mr Trowland, a civil engineer from Hackney, east London, said: “I’m terrified that billions will die because of the climate crisis, humans and non-humans.
“I’m freaking out that many people are accepting this, or feel powerless to change the course. I want to show onlookers that we each have phenomenal power.”
Another man blocked Blackfriars Bridge in London holding a placard reading: “I’m terrified billions will starve while our Government refuses to act on the climate crisis.”
Bing Jones, a 68-year-old retired NHS doctor, blocked a road in Sheffield.
He said: “I’m terrified that our climate targets are empty promises.
“We have targets for 2050 but we are still increasing emissions today. The Government has made inexcusable Covid mistakes. I’m terrified that they will be even worse on the climate crisis.”
He added: “I am desperate. I write, lobby and support green politics but see nothing real happening.”
Nurse Andrea Muntiu, 36, blocked traffic in her home town of Ipswich.
She said: “We can still change things, we can demand the Government acts now and safeguards what we have.”